THE GREAT CHRONICLE OF BUDDHAS
1166
constitute his mentality). Then by means of the Fifth Knowledge, the Buddha examines the
inherent inclination of the subject, regardless of sufficiency of effort on His part. Having
known the inclination of the subject, the Buddha examines, through the Sixth Knowledge,
the quality of the faculties, such as conviction of the subject. If the faculties are mature
enough to gain
jhÈna
or
magga-phala
, the Buddha would lose no time to go and deliver a
discourse to the subject. He is able to do this because He is endowed with the Seventh
Knowledge. Having gone over to the subject, the Buddha reviews, through the Eighth
Knowledge, the past existences of the subject, and also, through the Ninth Knowledge,
reads the mind of the subject (reading other's minds being part of
dibba cakkhu ÒÈÓa
).
Ascertaining the present state of mind of the subject, the Buddha preaches the Doctrine to
suit the subject, with a view to his attaining
arahatta-magga
. This is the final step the
Buddha takes with the Tenth Knowledge (
Œsavakkhaya-ÒÈÓa
).
The Buddha discoursed on the Ten Powers in the same order as He actually puts them to
use for the benefit of the world at large. (A~guttara NikÈya
(®ikÈ
)).
(This is about the Ten Powers)
The Fourteen Buddha Knowledges
The fourteen Buddha Knowledges are, Knowledge of the Four Truths, the four
PatisambhidÈ-ÒÈÓas
, and the six
AsÈharaÓa-ÒÈÓas
. Out of those fourteen, Knowledge of
the Four Truths and the four
PatisambhidÈ-ÒÈÓas
are attained by the disciples also, but the
six
AsÈdharaÓa-ÒÈÓas
are purely within the province of the Buddha. In as much as the six
AsÈdharaÓa-ÒÈÓas
belong only to the Buddha, there are also Eighteen Buddha Attributes,
ŒveÓika
, that belong only to the Buddha.
The late Ledi Sayadaw had composed a fine piece of devotional interpretation of the
Eighteen Buddha-Attributes. The gist of which is given here:
(The PÈli text of the AveÓika-ÒÈÓas is not reproduced here.)
The Translation of the PÈli text:
May I be free from all dangers and depredations both internally and externally! There is
no one, such as Mara, ΀avaka, who can endanger the life of the Buddha within the usual
life period, (adopted by all Buddhas,) of the four-fifth of the life span period of the epoch
(pertaining to each Buddha.)
There is no one, such as Mahesara, BrahmÈ Baka, or Asura, who can sully or dampen the
All-Knowing Wisdom of the Buddha.
(1) The Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, endowed with the six exalted qualities, also
counted in eight ways, has the All-Knowing Wisdom that can visualize all knowable
things of the past, extending over myriads of aeons, and not the slightest obstruction
can mar this vision.
(2) The Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, endowed with the six exalted qualities, also
counted in eight ways, has the all Knowing Wisdom that can visualize all knowable
things of the future, extending over myriads of aeons, and not the slightest
obstruction can mar this vision.
(3) The Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, endowed with the six exalted qualities, also
counted in eight ways, has the All-Knowing Wisdom that can visualize all knowable
things that are taking place at present in the thirty-one planes of existence in all the
infinite world-systems, and not the slightest destruction can mar this vision.
(4) The Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, endowed with the six exalted qualities, also
counted in eight ways, well-possessed of these three special attributes, has all bodily
actions, in all postures and movements, preceded by four kinds of full
comprehension, and all the bodily actions closely follow the guidance of the fourfold
comprehension.
(5) All His verbal actions, all His utterances, are preceded by four kinds of full
comprehension, and all the verbal actions closely follow the guidance of the fourfold
comprehension.